Abstract: An ultrasonic vibrating apparatus and an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus capable of permitting ultrasonic cleaning of a wafer to be carried out using an existing cleaning tank and while keeping the object immersed in cleaning liquid. An ultrasonic wave is irradiated to a cleaned object while keeping it immersed in cleaning liquid stored in a cleaning tank formed with an upper opening. A vibrating plate is securely mounted thereon with an ultrasonic transducer through a wave transmission element and arranged so as to close the upper opening of the cleaning tank in a cover-like manner. The vibrating plate is so arranged that a vibrating surface thereof downwardly faces and is immersed in the cleaning liquid.

Abstract: A method for treating an object is provided. The method comprises supporting the object above a level of a process liquid and applying megasonic energy to said process liquid to form a vapor from the liquid. The vapor reacts with a surface of the object to process the object. The level of the process liquid is generally maintained below the bottom of the object while processing the object with the vapor. An alternative embodiment of the method employs an acoustically generated vapor and ultraviolet (UV) light for processing objects. The UV light passes through the vapor to treat the object. The vapor and UV light react with a surface of the object to process the object. In a particular example of this embodiment, the vapor includes ozone, which reacts with the UV light to form an oxide at the surface of a semiconductor wafer. UV may also be used in conjunction with ammonia (NH3) to facilitate substrate cleaning.

Abstract: A method for treating an object is provided. The method comprises supporting the object above a level of a process liquid and applying megasonic energy to said process liquid to form a vapor from the liquid. The vapor reacts with a surface of the object to process the object. The level of the process liquid is generally maintained below the bottom of the object while processing the object with the vapor. An alternative embodiment of the method employs an acoustically generated vapor and ultraviolet (UV) light for processing objects. The UV light passes through the vapor to treat the object. The vapor and UV light react with a surface of the object to process the object. In a particular example of this embodiment, the vapor includes ozone, which reacts with the UV light to form an oxide at the surface of a semiconductor wafer. UV may also be used in conjunction with ammonia (NH3) to facilitate substrate cleaning.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing an object with ultra-violet light is provided. The apparatus generally comprises a container, a transducer, coupled to the container; and a source of ultraviolet light configured to deliver ultraviolet light to an object disposed within said container. The UV source is configured to deliver the ultraviolet light through the vapor to process the object. The vapor and UV light react with a surface of the object to process the object. The apparatus is particularly suited to wet processing substrates in a single substrate processing system having multiple wet processing chambers configured within a process bench. The apparatus can include a robot arm having a pick-up, such as a vacuum wand, that adheres to a back side of the substrate.